Project Description
Dr. Doris C. Lee
Principal, Village Academy
Queens, New York
Fellow
Dr. Doris C. Lee is the founding principal of Village Academy, a small middle school in the Far Rockaway community of NYC. Dr. Lee started her career as a middle school educator in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. A product of NYC public schools she thoroughly understands the impact a teacher has on a child’s life and went into education with this in mind.
In 2008, Dr. Lee entered the NYC Leadership Academy while diligently writing her new school proposal and opened the doors of Village Academy in 2009. Village Academy’s innovative civics-based culturally relevant curriculum, innovative scheduling, community partnerships and restorative environment have been recognized across NYC. She collaborates with countless community organizations including the NYPD and District Attorney’s office to support her families and procured over 11 million dollars to improve her school facilities. She is proud to serve as a mentor to aspiring leaders and teachers.
Dr. Lee is relentless in her goal to ensure access and equity for her students and her community. She received recognition for her efforts from Front Line Heroes, Women on Fire, and the Council of Supervisors and Administrators. Dr. Lee was also the recipient of the 2019 Equity Award in Leadership provided by NYC DOE Office of Leadership and received distinction as a Respect for All School for the school year 2019-2020. She completed her doctorate at Sage Colleges in 2012 and endeavors to one day create a policy that closes the achievement gap.
William Bailey
Assistant Principal, Village Academy
Queens, New York
ALLY
Mr. William Bailey is a dedicated and passionate educator who currently serves as an Assistant Principal at Village Academy in Far Rockaway, NY. As a product of NYC Public Schools, he was inspired by his teachers to pursue education as a career at an early age. He learned, firsthand, that relationship building, high expectations and teacher efficacy are essential components for students’ success. Over the past 10 years, William has effectively implemented these components as a math teacher, a coach and an instructional leader.
William has fostered a culture of risk-taking with his teams and mobilized teachers to implement new and innovative researched-based teaching practices. He has used his analytical skills to create schedules and programming that fully maximizes resources for student learning. He leads and supports teacher teams in critically analyzing assessment data to make meaningful curriculum adjustments. His impact was evidenced by Village Academy tripling the number of proficient students on the NY Math state exam in 2019.
William is a proud graduate of York College and Brooklyn College where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree respectively. He has also completed New York City’s Leadership in Education Apprentice Program (LEAP) in 2016.